Amusement or pleasure wheel.



L. N. WOOLARD.

AMUSEMENT 0R PLEASURE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC; 5, 1917.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL m L. N. WOOLARD.

AMUSEMENT OB PLEASURE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED DEC-5.1917.

l fifi%?3& Patented Apr 30, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 5'3

. awuanto a EmmMM-W L. N. WOOLARD, AMUSEMENT 0R PLEASURE WHEEL.

APPLICATION HLED DEC.&, L9H.

Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- aJJ /TJ LINYEAR N. WOOLARD, OF WASHINGTON, NORTHCAROLINA.

AMUSEMENT OR PLEASURE WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 311, 1918.

Application filed. December 5, 1917. Seria1.I\To.205,635.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LINYEAR N. WOOLARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in theeounty of Beaufort, State of NorthCarolina, have invented a new and useful Amusement or Pleasure Wheel;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the"art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved amusement and pleasure wheel, andone of the objects of the invention is to provide a wheel ofa very largediameter having atrack on the inner face of the rim, and adapted torevolve, in order to impart movement to the wheels of a car to besupported on the track.

A furtherobject of the invention is the provision of an improvedstructure of wheel of this kind consisting of simple, efficient andpractical features.

One of the features of construction is the provision of a wheel rim madeup of aplurality of segment sections provided with overlapping joints,each section having segment sections of rails, arranged in pairs,whereby when the segment rim sections are joined, two pairs of circulartracks are constructed on the inner surface of the rim.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a-plurality of ushaped members, to the U portions of which the run 18 secured, while thearms of the U-shaped members form the spokes.

-A further object of the invention is the provision of improved bracingmeans for the spokes.

A further" object of the invention is the provision of an improved standor frame work, in bearings of which the revoluble pleasure or amusementwheelis mounted.

-A further object of the invention is the provision of improved bracingmeans for the frame or stand.

A further object of the invention is the provisionof an improvedrevoluble pleasure or amusement wheel, particularly adapted for theamusement and pleasure of patrons at summer resorts and the like.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitatealterations falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts ashereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings 1 Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improvedamusement or pleasure wheel and its stand or supporting frame, all beingconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4. is an enlarged detail view of one of the segment sections of therim of the whiael, showing the segment sections of the rai Referringmore especially to the drawings 1 designates a base, which, comprisesthe transverse beams or bars 2 and the longitudinally eXt-endingbeams orbars 3, which are arched, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and are extendingat right angles to the transverse beams or bars 2, whereby the ends ofthe beams or bars 3 form the feet 1, in order to brace the base. Risingupwardly fromthe opposite beams or bars 3 are the U-shaped supports 5,the sides 6 of which pass through openings? of the beams or bars 3. Thelower portions of the sides 6 have integral collars 8, engaging andresting upon said beams 3, there being nuts 9 threaded on the lowerextremities of the sides 6 below the beam 3 to secure the sides 6firmly. The upper ends of the sides 6 are connected by the cross pieces10 integrally. The cross pieces 10 have bearings 11 which aresemicircular. The sides 6 of the vertical support-s 5 are com nected byrungs 12, whereby the parts 5 may perform the double functions ofsupports and ladders. The upper ends of the sides 6 of said supports areprovided with eyes 13. Eyes 1 1 are arranged on the outer ends of thetransverse beams or bars 2, and the end portions of thebeams or bars 3have eyes 15. Connecting the eyes 15 and the eyes 13 are brace rods 16,which consist of sections. 17

and 18, which are connected by turn buckles 19, whereb the brace rodsmay be tightened. Connecting the eyes 14 and the eyes 13 are brace rods20, each of which consist of the sections 21 and 22, which are joined bythe turn buckle 23. The brace rods 20v by means of the turn buckles 23may also betightened, in order to insure suflicient rigidity, inreinforcing the vertical supports 5 with relation to the base. Asuitable shaft or axle 2A for the revoluble pleasure or amusement wheelis provided. This shaft or axle 24 is supplied with circular flanges 25,and the extremities of the shaft or axle terminate in reduced extensions26, and the adjoining shoulders 27 and the integral collars 28,which-are on the extremities of said reduced extensions. The bearings 11of the cross pieces 10 are constructed correspondingly with and receivethe extensions 26 and their collars 28, whereby theshoulders 27 engagethe adjacent faces of the cross pieces 10.

Cap bars or plates 29 correspond with and engage the cross pieces 10.These cap bars or plates 29 have bearings 30 similar to the bearings 11,to correspond with and engage said extensions 26 and their collars 28,

thereby preventing axial movement of the shaft or axle. These cap barsor plates 29 are secured by the bolts 31 to the cross pieces 10. The capplates or bars 29 are arranged between the extensions 32 of the sides 6,thereby insuring additional security for said I cap bars. The pleasureor amusement wheel proper comprises a plurality of radially disposedU-shaped members, the inner extremities of the arms 33 of which aresecured by the bolts and nuts 34 to the circular flanges 25 ofthe axleor shaft. The outer transverse portions 35 of said 'U-shaped members arebroad and constitute firm bearings for the plurality of rim sections 36.The opposite ends of the rim sections 36 are provided with inner andouter cutaway portions 37, so that each end of a section may overlap theadj acent end of an adjoining section, as shown at 38 in Figs. 1 and 3.Bolts 39 pass through the overlapping parts of the rim sections, and thebroad bearings 35 of said radial U- shaped members, thereby insuring arigid wheel mm for an amusement or pleasure wheel. The rim sectlons areprovided on theirinner faces with rail sections 40, and

when the rim sections are connected by means of their overlappmg oints,two pairs of circular tracks are provided on the inner face or peripheryof said wheel rim. A suit- I able wheel supported car (not shown) isdesigned to be mounted upon each pair of tracks, whereby the seatsthereof may either face in the same direction or the opposite direction.When the cars are arranged with the seats facing inthe samedirection,and

by any suitable power (not shown).

motion. is imparted to the pleasure wheel, the occupants of the cars mayexperience the impression that they are racing. When the seats arefacing in the opposite direction, the occupants may have the impressionthat they are passing one another. As the momentum of the pleasure wheelincreases, the cars alternate in their rearward and forward movements.In other words each car tends to move forward and will then slide rear-45, the opposite ends of which have nuts 46 threaded thereon. The endsof the brace rods A l are connected by the brace rods 4L7, which extendin the direction with the rim of the wheel. Diagonally arrangedintersecting brace rods 48 connect the corresponding opposite ends ofthe brace rods 44 and 45 integrally, thereby insuring rigidity for therevoluble pleasure or amusement wheel.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and usefulis:

1. In a revoluble pleasure or amusement wheel a stand, comprising abase, upright ladder supports, a shaft mounted in bearings of saidsupports andprovided with circular flanges, radial U-shaped membershaving the inner ends of their arms secured to said flanges, a wheel rimconsisting of a plurality of rim sections having overlap joints andconnecting the transverse parts of the U-shaped members, and pairs ofannular tracks. carried on the inner periphery of the rim.

2. In a device as set forth, an amusement or pleasure wheel, comprisingan axle having circular flanges near its opposite ends, a plurality ofradial U-shaped members having the inner endsof their arms secured tosaid flanges, a wheel rim comprising a plurality of rimsections, the adacent ends of the rim sections having over-lap joints, means connectingthe transverse parts of the U-shaped members with the rim of the wheelat said overlap-joints, a pair of transverse rods. connecting each pairof opposite arms er the U-shaped members, diagonal brace rods connectingsaid first rods, additional rods extendmg 1n the directions ofthe rimand connecting one set of the first rods, and

nally extending beams, upright ladder supports rising upwardly from saidbeams opposite each other, each support consisting of U-shaped uprights,the upper cross piece of each having a bearing, an axle mounted inbearings of said cross pieces, cap bars bolted to the cross pieces andhaving bearings to be engaged by the shaft, said shaft having reducedextension ends and integral collars corresponding With and engaging saidbeartwo subscribing Witnesses.

LINYEAR N. WOOLARD. lVitnesses F. B. ALLIGOOD, D. R. TRIPP.

Grantee of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, JD. 0.

